Apple reportedly began iPad 3 production this month [updated]

Apple has reportedly already started production of its next-generation iPad 3 tablet. Bloomberg broke the news on Twitter on Friday afternoon, though it did not immediately provide any further details. The iPad 3 is expected to feature a slightly thicker case, twice the battery life of the current iPad 2 model, and a 1,536 x 2,048-pixel HD display. The most recent rumors have suggested that Apple will release the new tablet in March.

UPDATE: Bloomberg flushed out its preliminary report, claiming that the iPad 3 will support 4G LTE. The site also claims to have confirmed that the new iPad will feature a new HD display and a faster quad-core processor, in line with numerous earlier reports. Factories are also said to be running 24 hours a day in an effort to create as much stock as possible before launch.